Six pitches thrown in the first inning. Only 18 through the second and 28 through the third. Eleven of 12 first-pitch strikes. No runs against him. Matt Harvey was having himself a day. Manager Brandon Hyde was having visions of a starter plowing through the early and middle innings, removing one of the hardest decisions he routinely makes during the season, which inevitably fuels second-guessing as a first reaction to it. A hit batter, walk and infield single in the fourth, with Domingo...

A win, finally a win for the Orioles to provide a sense of both excitement and relief around Birdland. The clutch hits finally came and lefty starter Bruce Zimmermann used them to pick up the win. Back on May 16, when the Orioles last won before last night, Zimmermann was also the winning pitcher. That victory came out of the bullpen. This one he got as a starter as he allowed two runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings with two walks and a career-high seven strikeouts. He is now 3-3 with a 4.96...

Pitchers and catchers are required to report to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in less than a week. The offseason is about to move into the spring training workout phase, followed by exhibition games - adjusted from the original schedule to eliminate longer-distance travel - played while everyone holds their breath. Not a bad idea during a pandemic. Reduce the risk of a positive test for COVID-19. The Orioles aren't a finished product and roster moves are coming while they're in camp. More...

Efforts made by the Orioles to find more starting options for the rotation and depth in the infield and upper levels of the farm system are synced with the task of filling out the camp roster for spring training. The amount of players allowed at complexes is expected to be capped at 75. The Orioles are going to treat the process in the same fashion as their 60-man pool and the summer training camp at Camden Yards. They didn't rush to reach their limit. They left room for players to filter in...

The warning came early Monday morning, with pitcher Alex Cobb told by his representatives in a phone call of the pending trade from the Orioles to the Angels. The bags packed for spring training weren't going to make it to Sarasota, Fla. "I had had some discussions with my agents about some possibilities, that things might be happening, so it was on my radar, but also, didn't put my stock into it," Cobb said this afternoon. "I believed I was showing up to spring training. Had my place set,...

The Orioles won't know whether they'll be able to open their spring training camp in February until the world gives its approval. Or Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association if they choose to ignore the world. First comes the fall instructional league, which so far has gone uninterrupted for two weeks. If we're lucky, the Orioles will reach the point where they can extend spring training invites and avoid another shutdown of the Ed Smith Stadium complex. It's interesting to...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Andrew Velazquez lined a single into right-center field this afternoon off Rays starter Charlie Morton, who handed the ball to his manager and exited one out short of completing the third inning. At the plate again in the fifth, Velazquez coaxed a walk out of former Orioles reliever Oliver Drake. He's 4-for-9 with three stolen bases this spring. Velazquez is the last Orioles player to crack the camp roster after a Feb. 19 waiver claim. He's also migrating toward the front of...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Alex Cobb is going to wait a little longer before making another start. Cobb will pitch in a simulated game Friday while the Orioles play the Yankees in Tampa. His next start is March 11 versus the Blue Jays in Dunedin. "He threw right around 50 pitches yesterday and looked great and he felt great after," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Actually threw a little bit more than we had planned for and he felt outstanding during it and after, so we're good to go." The adjustments...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Five non-roster players have been removed from the Orioles spring training camp roster, including infield prospects Rylan Bannon and Mason McCoy and left-handers Zac Lowther and Alexander Wells. Infielder Malquin Canelo, a longshot candidate to win a utility job, also has been reassigned to minor league camp. Bannon, McCoy, Lowther and Wells never were in line to head north with the club. They'll report to Twin Lakes Park and await their assignments, which could lead to a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Absolutely nothing should be read into a spring training lineup in February. And the level of importance scrapes the bottom if it's an opener and played on the road. The Orioles kept most of their regulars back at the Ed Smith Stadium complex yesterday, including first baseman Chris Davis, shortstop José Iglesias, third baseman Rio Ruiz, infielder Hanser Alberto and outfielder Trey Mancini. Five catchers made the trip and Pedro Severino wasn't among them. I kept looking...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Utility competitions generally do not elicit much excitement and drama in a spring training camp. The backup infielder ranks pretty low on the meter. More yawns than yippees. The Orioles, however, are turning the battles into a game show of sorts - but without the car or jet skis as a grand prize. Richard Ureña had been deemed a favorite to break camp on March 23 until the Orioles designated him for assignment yesterday. Another mock roster goes into the shredder. Pat...

When it comes to the start of spring training games for the Orioles this Saturday, fans and reporters alike will begin tracking the chase for rotation spots. Is Alex Cobb healthy? Who will join him and John Means in the rotation? There are other areas in camp where there will be competition for a spot or spots. One area that is probably not going to garner a lot of media or fan attention is the battle to be the club's utility infielder. Or maybe they expand that to a super utility type as a...